Food Files

Advance registration or reservations are recommended for most events. Prices exclude tax and gratuity unless otherwise noted. ON THE PLATE THROUGH JANUARY Can the mad cow jokes. Yarrow Bay Beach Café is serving up 16 ounces of luscious, juicy beef as part of a three-course steak dinner, and if we hear even so much as one demented moo from the dining room, so help us. . . . $24.99. 1270 Carillon Point, 425-889-0303. KIRKLAND THROUGH FEBRUARY N.Y.C. wanna-be Fire and Ice gets that culinary mojo workin' with a bargain three-course prix fixe during the coldest winter months. Hide- and heartwarming options include duck confit spring rolls, beef tenderloin, buscatini pasta with eggplant and mushrooms, and desserts on the order of chocolate paté, berry shortcake, and apple riesling sorbet. $23. Dinner served from 5 to 10 p.m. 1921 First Ave., 206-443-1921. BELLTOWN JAN. 21 Few local restaurants can boast the pure sex appeal of Serafina, and tonight you can enjoy chef John Neumark's sexy culinary creations for a good cause. Neumark's menu for this edition of the monthly Evening at Boomtown event features spinach-ricotta dumplings, braised short ribs, and lavender-honey-almond semiffreddo. All profits go to Boomtown Café, per usual. $20. 513 Third Ave., 206-625-2989. DOWNTOWN SEATTLE THE GRAPEVINE JAN. 23 The descendant of 11 generations of Burgundy winemakers (and a pivotal figure in the wine-heavy Cote d'Or region of France), Vincent Girardin oversees the production of almost 50,000 cases each year. Join the good monsieur as he headlines a wine dinner devoted to Burgundy vintages and graced by a menu to include oyster bisque, beef bourguignonne, and various cheeses. $50. 6-8:30 p.m. Whole Foods Market, 1026 N.E. 64th St., 206-985-1500. ROOSEVELT JAN. 24 If you're one of those people unsure which is the Rhine and which the Rhône, now would be a good time for clarity. Wines of the Cotes du Rhône region are the subject of this free tasting; vintages to be sipped, swished, and spat include syrah blends, the occasional grenache, and perhaps a mourvedre if everyone's feeling frisky. Free. 3-6 p.m. Fremont Red Apple Market & Wine Bar, 3601 Fremont Ave. N., 206-633-FOOD. FREMONT Washington redsthe lifeblood of the Northwest? The vin rouge will certainly be flowing at a Collins Pub wine dinner featuring syrahs, merlots, and pinot noirs in fairly massive volume. Paired courses will include smoked salmon bisque, grilled lamb sirloin, regional cheeses, and crème brûlée. $45. 7 p.m. 526 Second Ave., 206-623-1016. DOWNTOWN SEATTLE JAN. 25 Chardonnay might have a bad name in certain circles, but that's ignorance talking. In reality, there are countless intriguing vintages to explore, and Veronique Drouhin is prepared to introduce you to nearly a dozen of them at her chardonnay seminar. Expect an assortment of Oregon whites, including members of the pinot noir family, and expect to learn an awful lot. $54.95. 2-5 p.m. Waterfront Seafood Grill, 2801 Alaskan Way, 206-524-9500. DOWNTOWN SEATTLE JAN. 26 Dieter Schafer + Red Mountain wines = a tasting that spotlights several choice Klipsun Vineyard bottles, including the 1999 cabernet sauvignon and the 2000 merlot. $12. 3-7:30 p.m. The Tasting Room, 1924 Post Alley, 206-770-9463. PIKE PLACE MARKET JAN. 28-29 To prove yet again that they know regional wines, Ray's Boathouse is holding its 17th annual Northwest wine retrospective. A competition spotlighting both established and heat-seeking vineyards, the event features two nights of multicourse diningwith each course matched to a winning winecourtesy of Ray's chef Charles Ramseyer. $95. 6:30 p.m. 6049 Seaview Ave. N.W., 206-789-6309. BALLARD BACK TO SCHOOL JAN. 27 The fact that you can find Thai food around every corner in Seattle doesn't mean you can learn to cook it by osmosis. No, what you need is a nice Thai cooking class, andwonder of wondersPCC is offering one. Pranee Halvorsen promises to take you way beyond phad Thai as she teaches you to make spicy chicken with sweet chile dipping sauce, green curry with beef, and prawn rice soup. See? There's much more to Thai than rice noodles, scallions, and egg. $30 for PCC members, $35 for everybody else. 6:30-9 p.m. PCC, 7504 Aurora Ave. N., 206-525-3586. GREEN LAKE food@seattleweekly.com